The Wharton Sports Analytics and Business Initiative (WSABI) and Wharton Undergraduate Sports Business Club (WUSBC) were thrilled to host the fifth Wharton Sports Business Summit on campus at the University of Pennsylvania on November 3, 2023.

The Summit, which attracted more than 200 registrants, featured a wide range of alumni and sports industry leaders who shared insights and expertise over the course of 15 different sessions.

To start the day off, attendees heard from Zack Weiner, President & Co-Founder of the burgeoning sports media brand Overtime, which boasts more than 65 million followers across social media – nearly half of which comes from their world-famous TikTok account. Weiner, a 2014 graduate from the University of Pennsylvania, spoke at length with Sam Schwartz, WG’90, Executive Vice President & Chief Business Development Officer at Comcast NBC Universal, about their respective career journeys.

“Every company is looking for product-market fit,” said Weiner. “I would say that a majority of companies start with a product, and then iterate that product to find a market. Overtime is in the minority of companies that did the reverse. We identified our target demographic, which is Gen Z and Millennial sports fans. We said, ‘this is who we are trying to win the hearts and minds of through content, apparel, experiences, all of these things.’”

When asked by Schwartz how his company’s target demographic was being underserved by incumbent sports media entities, Weiner cited the hopefulness and positivity demonstrated by young internet users, which is directly at odds with the confrontational, drama-centered approach seen on incumbent sports debate shows like “First Take” and “Skip and Shannon: Undisputed.” “This next generation is actually very positive, and not just positive, but hopeful,” he said.

Weiner also cited emerging trends, such as young people not watching sports games live as frequently as their parents, and consuming most content through their phones rather than television, as factors influencing Overtime’s strategies.

“I do think that sports is unique in the way it’s able to occupy space in peoples’ minds and hearts, which ultimately creates a really interesting business opportunity…our job is to translate that passion and influence into monetization,” he said.

Following the opening keynote presentation, Erika James, Dean of the Wharton School, provided remarks on the value she identifies at the intersection of sports and business, and how Wharton is leading the way.

“The business of sport has never been more complex or more dynamic,” said Dean James. “One of the key drivers behind this transformation is the unprecedent role of data analytics in modern sports management and decision-making.”

With groups like WSABI and WUSBC, Dean James recognized the unique position Wharton holds for preparing the next generation of sports leaders both on and off the field.

“The comprehensive education and research initiatives at Wharton equip students and professionals with the knowledge and skills they need to navigate the data-driven sports landscape effectively. The cutting-edge research and innovative solutions emerging from Wharton contribute significantly to the development of sports analytics, influencing not only the way teams play, but how businesses operate within the industry.”

During lunch, a number of Penn alumni in the sports industry – such as Kori Carter, a current Wharton MBA student and Nike intern, and Genevieve Weikert, Fan Insights & Analytics with the Baltimore Ravens – chatted with attendees about their journeys and the experiences at Penn that shaped them.

One of the day’s many standout sessions was the Women in Sports Business panel, comprised of Olga Harvey, Chief Strategy & Impact Officer at the Women’s Sports Foundation, China Jude, Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Denver Broncos, Emily Leitner, Producer with NFL Films, and Katie O’Reilly, Chief Revenue Officer with the Philadelphia 76ers.

The panel, which was moderated by Amy Coffey, Director of the Penn Athletics Wharton Leadership Academy (PAWLA) filled every seat in classroom F85 at Hunstman Hall, with many attendees cramming into the back of the room to find what little standing room remained. The speakers shared their experience in helping to trailblaze a more equitable and gender-diverse sports landscape before offering optimism for the years to come. They stressed it would be up to individuals in the room and their peers to help shape the sports industry future they desired.

To close out the Summit, attendees heard from Val Ackerman, Commissioner of the NCAA’s Big East Conference. In conversation with Kenneth Shropshire, David W. Huack Professor Emeritus of Legal Studies and Business Ethics at Wharton, Ackerman shared her perspective on the landmark Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) protocol, which now allows college athletes to profit financially from their public identities while retaining eligibility to compete as students in the NCAA.

“It was around four years ago,” Ackerman recalled. “Some states were beginning to introduce laws that, in effect, said ‘even if the NCAA prohibits student athletes from using their images to make money, we, the state of California, are going to allow it. We’re going to make it permissible in our state regardless of what the NCAA says.’”